My Spring flowering shrubs are one of my favorite parts of my front yard. I look forward to my Peonies blossoming every Spring! However, after the blooms (and sometimes even before!) comes the task of pruning your bushes. Read my guide to see how I do it.
Step One: Ask yourself this: why are you pruning? Is it to promote additional growth? Or is it simply just a care measure? Once determined why you are pruning…you can make your bushes look great. This a general pruning guide to keep plants at their healthiest.
Step Two: Next, it’s time to decide WHEN to prune your plants. Here is a general guide to when you should prune your shrubs: If your shrub blooms in late summer to early fall, you should prune in late winter to early spring. If you have a shrub that blooms in the spring, prune them back after their blooms begin to die. Once you’ve decided when to prune, you have to decide HOW to prune. Click through to the next slide to learn about the different methods.
Step Three: Choose which method of pruning is best for your flowering shrubs. Here are three:
-“Pinching” your growth is best for small areas of pruning. Simply “pinch” off the growth with your fingernails. Pinch them off at the tips of the branches.
-If you are looking to prune more, I suggest the “heading back” method. Use pruners to cut back a branch to a good bud. Use this guide for a more step-by-step method.
-Finally, you could try the “thinning” method. This is where you would cut back diseased branches to the base (or the trunk) of the shrub.
If you are pruning your bushes to rejuvinate them or start new growth, you should do so in late winter or early spring. However, it should be mentioned that pruning in the late winter and spring will reduce the amount of blossoms come the next bloom cycle. Give them a year and watch their growth double, though!
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